Sr. Innovation Manager

American Chemical Society

3d•$112,000 - $130,000•Onsite

About The Position

Establish clear decision rights and processes to ensure alignment between innovation efforts, ACS strategy, and stakeholder needs. Facilitate portfolio reviews and stage gates, setting and tracking metrics (e.g., desirability, feasibility, viability, impact) to guide go/no-go decisions. Cultivate a culture of continuous innovation, championing high-impact opportunities and embedding best practices across teams. Guide the development, launch, and evaluation of pilot programs, ensuring pilots are structured to generate meaningful insights and business value. Run cross-functional experimentation cycles (hypothesis setting, test design, customer research, prototype/MVP builds, learning reviews) to de-risk before scale. Collect and synthesize customer and member feedback with partners to refine initiatives pre-scale. Develop scale-up playbooks (business cases, operational readiness, change management, resourcing plans, and KPIs) to guide transitions from pilot to execution. Advise executive stakeholders on investment priorities, risk management, and expected outcomes; prepare materials for governance bodies and senior leadership. Track and report innovation portfolio performance, including learning outcomes, impact metrics, and recommendations to start, stop, or scale. This role is based in our Washington, D.C. office. A reasonable rate of compensation for this position is between $112,000-$130,000 per year. ACS currently provides the following benefits for this position: paid vacation leave, paid sick leave, paid holidays, health insurance, flexible spending account or health care savings account, dental insurance, life insurance, vision insurance, retirement benefits, short- and long-term disability, and 4-week work from anywhere; each benefit is subject to the terms of the applicable program. Additional benefits may apply based on skills, experience, and location. Any actual offer of employment, reflecting the total compensation package and benefits, will be made in the sole discretion of ACS. ACS reserves the right to amend or modify its employment benefits and compensation structure at any time. Bachelors or better in Design or related field. Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.

Requirements

Bachelors or better in Design or related field.

Responsibilities

Establish clear decision rights and processes to ensure alignment between innovation efforts, ACS strategy, and stakeholder needs.
Facilitate portfolio reviews and stage gates, setting and tracking metrics (e.g., desirability, feasibility, viability, impact) to guide go/no-go decisions.
Cultivate a culture of continuous innovation, championing high-impact opportunities and embedding best practices across teams.
Guide the development, launch, and evaluation of pilot programs, ensuring pilots are structured to generate meaningful insights and business value.
Run cross-functional experimentation cycles (hypothesis setting, test design, customer research, prototype/MVP builds, learning reviews) to de-risk before scale.
Collect and synthesize customer and member feedback with partners to refine initiatives pre-scale.
Develop scale-up playbooks (business cases, operational readiness, change management, resourcing plans, and KPIs) to guide transitions from pilot to execution.
Advise executive stakeholders on investment priorities, risk management, and expected outcomes; prepare materials for governance bodies and senior leadership.
Track and report innovation portfolio performance, including learning outcomes, impact metrics, and recommendations to start, stop, or scale.